


Yihye Tov

by stardustandswimmingpools



Series: pietro lives 'verse [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: BAMF Laura Barton, Clint Barton & Natasha Romanov Friendship, Clint Barton Is a Good Bro, Clint Barton-centric, F/M, Family Bonding, Family Dynamics, Family Feels, Found Family, Gen, Hanukkah, Jewish Holidays, Jewish Natasha Romanov, Jewish Wanda Maximoff, Judaism, Male-Female Friendship, Pietro Maximoff Lives, Sarcasm, clint barton is john mulaney: loves his wife, clint barton is not that old, honestly clint barton is the BEST bro, in my google drive the title of this document is, jewish people? in MY farm? it's more likely than you think
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-13
Updated: 2019-05-13
Packaged: 2020-03-02 07:45:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18806788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stardustandswimmingpools/pseuds/stardustandswimmingpools
Summary: Clint invites the Maximoffs to the farm for Christmas and ends up celebrating Hanukkah from scratch.





	Yihye Tov

**Author's Note:**

> title is from a hebrew song by david broza called yihye tov (yee-yeh tov), which means "things will get better." (Actually I think it literally means "things will be good" but y'know. Same thing.)  
> so far all the fics in this series are chronological! so that's good.  
> for anyone keeping track: house arrest is COMPLETE and i am now in the phase where i overthink every line in it and judge myself to the edge of tears. no, just kidding. i'll probably do some edits and what-have-you but it'll be up soon, i hope - that's the plan!  
> any jew questions can be directed to me of course, just leave a comment or send it to my tumblr or whatever you want, i am beyond happy to answer questions or whatever.  
> in any case, thank you in advance for reading this fic and commenting on it, you guys are swell. onward!

“Come to the farm, celebrate Christmas with us,” Clint says to the Maximoff twins one evening, via videophone. Wanda, who is holding the device, turns to Pietro, and they exchange a  _ look. _ Clint raises his eyebrows and says nothing. He’s learned to say nothing, that in time, the twins will say something without needing to be prompted. They have their words. They’ll use them, if they need to.

Finally Pietro says, “We would be happy to come, if you would have us.”

“Are you kidding?” says Clint. “Laura’s been pestering me for weeks, asking when I was going to invite you two up here. You’d be doing me a favor. Besides, the Bartons do Christmas way better. Don’t tell Stark.”

Neither of them answer for a moment, and Clint starts to worry. Then Wanda, twisting a piece of her hair in a very uncharacteristic nervous habit, says, “Clint, Pietro and I do not celebrate Christmas.”

“We celebrate Hanukkah,” Pietro continues. “The Festival of Light. You are familiar, yes?”

Clint wants to smack himself.  _ Way to be sensitive, asshole, _ he thinks. Aloud, he makes haste to reassure them. “Yeah, no, I know it. Some - yeah. Right. Should’ve asked. My bad, guys. But hey, we can double-time it. What’s a family that doesn’t have multiple religions, right?”

Wanda smiles, Pietro smirks, and Clint feels a pang of warmth in his chest that spreads like hot soup.

“So I’ll see you in a week, cool?” he says, and starts planning, mentally, how to break it to Laura that they have to make a whole new set of dishes, two weeks before Christmas.

* * *

So Clint calls Natasha, like he always does when he’s at a loss. She answers after three rings and says, “Make it quick.”

“I need your help with something,” Clint says.

“Don’t I know it,” Nat says. Clint smiles despite himself. “I was serious, though. We have training in, like, ten minutes. Not that I don’t love talking to you.”

Training. For Avengers. People who actually do that shit, still. How weird.

“I invited the twins to the farm for Christmas, and long story short they don’t celebrate Christmas,” Clint says in one breath. He flips through the cable channels. Why are they always showing  _ The Martian _ on at least one station? “They do Hanukkah. I was hoping to get some...expertise. I don’t want to fuck it up.”

“Ah, and you’re notorious for fucking things up,” Natasha agrees. She clears her throat. “Yeah, okay. I’ll — can we talk about later? Like, in eight hours?”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Clint says good-naturedly. “Thanks, Nat.”

“Sure,” she replies, and Clint does not say:  _ if this is a sensitive topic I understand. _ He does not say:  _ I know you haven’t done anything Jewish in awhile. _ If she didn’t want to help, she wouldn’t have offered.

“I think you should come, too,” he adds. Because he wants her there. Because he loves her.

Natasha says, “I’ll think about it. Gotta run it by the Captain.” And Clint knows that’s a yes.

* * *

“Take notes,” Nat commands. Joke’s on her, though, because Clint already has a notepad and a pen ready. He shows her these, and she applauds. “Learning fast.”

“Hit me with it,” Clint says. “Full Judaism. I'm ready.”

As she talks, Clint writes.

~~**Chanukah Chanuka Hannukah** ~~ **Hanukkah**

  * ~~Menorah~~ Hanukkiah?
  * Latkes (applesauce, sour cream)
  * Jelly donuts
  * Fried foods in gen.
  * Prayers (sheheheyanu, candles one)
  * Dreidel
  * Gelt
  * Presents (confer w/ Laura)
  * Songs (Google these)



And after an hour, he pushes the notepad away, and Natasha smiles over the videophone. She looks tired and happy and subdued.

“I haven't thought about any of that stuff in a long time,” she confesses.

Clint knows that. He also knows the difficulty of admitting something of that caliber. He nods. “I'm glad you're going to be here,” he tells her.

“I haven't agreed to come yet,” she says, and quirks an eyebrow.

Clint shrugs. “Play hard to get if you want, weirdo. I know you.”

For better or for worse.

* * *

Clint does so much online shopping that week he almost starts to worry about maxing his credit card.

And then he remembers Stark's promise (“Family stuff is on me. No, you shouldn't have to worry about family expenses. Anything you need, Barton.”). The guilt evaporates.

“What on Earth are you buying from Forever 21?” Laura says with a short laugh, sitting beside him on the couch.

Clint looks beseechingly at her.  _ “Help _ me. Which one of these do you think would fit Wanda?”

* * *

Nat finally tells Clint she can come, but it'll have to be a day or so after the twins. Clint asks if she'll be here on the first night of Hanukkah. “I hope so,” she replies, and Clint does too.

The quinjet touches down outside their yard the eve of Hanukkah, as planned, and Clint calls out, “Laura, kids, the twins are here!”

“Yay!” Lila rockets past Clint’s legs and darts out of the house, with Cooper hot on her heels. Clint shakes his head and laughs.

Laura approaches a little slower, holding Nathaniel, and puts a hand on the back of Clint’s neck, soothing. “I'm glad you invited them,” she says.

“Me too,” says Clint. “Even though it means extra cooking.”

Laura swats at his shoulder. “Please. I've cooked for super soldiers before. I've cooked for myself  _ while _ I was pregnant. I can handle a couple more kids.”

“You're the strongest woman in my life,” Clint tells her solemnly.

They both chuckle, and neither of them add that Nat could give her a run for her money. The three of them fit like a misshapen puzzle.

By the time Clint exits his house and crosses the lawn, Cooper and Lila have already captured the hearts of the two Maximoff siblings who are standing above them.

“Ooh! Do it with me!” Cooper enthuses.

Wanda gives a heavy, overdramatic sigh. “Okaaaay,” she says. The red swirls from her fingers to surround Cooper, and it lifts him off the ground so he dangles a few feet above. Cooper shrieks with glee.

The father in Clint wants to shout  _ put him down! _ , but the father-figure in Clint is just happy to see Wanda with a smile so wide.

He's still relieved when Cooper’s feet touch the ground again.

“Hey,” he finally greets. Wanda and Pietro both look up.

“Hello, old man,” Pietro says.

“You’re sleeping in the Quinjet,” Clint threatens, approaching. And then he pulls Pietro into a hug. “It's good to see you.”

“And you as well,” Pietro says, muffled, into Clint’s shirt. Clint pulls away and hugs Wanda.

“You too, kid,” he says. “You've been taking care of yourselves, yeah?”

“The Avengers are very good to us,” Wanda tells him as they split apart. She carefully smoothes her shirt. “It is a unique experience.”

“I'll say,” Clint says. He ruffles Pietro’s hair. “Come on, inside. You gotta meet Laura, she's been dying to meet you two.”

* * *

Reason #573937 why Laura Barton is the awesomest lady in the world: she knows exactly how to act around the twins.

She doesn't baby them. She doesn't neglect them. She offers them anything, but doesn't force them to accept. She invites them to help out but doesn't let them do too much.

The morning of the first night of Hanukkah, Clint watches with a dopey grin as she and Wanda get to work making a batch of latkes. Pietro sits next to him at the dining room table.

“I am happy to see her like this,” Pietro says.

Clint can't help but agree. “It’s a welcome change from the, you know, distrust. Tension.”

Pietro shrugs. “Before...everything with Ultron, Wanda was always shy. I knew more English. I was always the...what is it called? Diplomat.”

“Not anymore, huh.”

“No. But it is better. It means she is not afraid anymore.”

In the kitchen, Laura spritzes Wanda with water, and Wanda laughs disbelievingly and spritzes Laura right back. Like they've done this their whole life. Like they're family.

Clint gets that same warm, gripping sensation in his stomach, and he gently nudges Pietro’s shoulder with his own.

“That’s what family’s for, kid,” he says. “Let your hair down.”

“If you have not lost it already,” Pietro says, with a pointed look at Clint’s hair and a smirk.

Clint cuffs him on the shoulder.

* * *

Laura says they're all taking a break at noon, so when midday rolls around, Clint waves Wanda and Pietro over. “Help me out with something?”

They trudge outside, wrapped up in coats, and Clint leads them to the beat-up barn, still collecting dust. “This,” he says by way of explanation. “I have no idea what to do with it.”

“Guest bedroom,” Wanda says instantly. Pietro bobs his head like this idea makes sense. “Fix it up, paint it, furnish it, you will have a lovely guest room.”

“Is this your way of saying you don't like your room?” Clint prods, arching an eyebrow. (The eyebrow trick is learned from Nat, who is the best at skeptical expressions.)

Wanda elbows him. “I love our room,” she assures him. “We are happy to have a room. But your family, it is getting bigger.” She gives him a pointed look. “Perhaps you would benefit from a little more space.”

It's not a bad idea. In fact, it's a pretty good one.

“Wanda and I will help,” Pietro volunteers.

“Sold,” Clint says. “Good thing you guys are here. This thing was going to sit here and rot for another decade.”

“Yes, what would you do without us,” Pietro intones.

Clint can't be blamed if he accidentally trips the kid.

* * *

Evening comes.

Laura puts Pietro to work filling the Hanukkiah with oil, which he finishes in about seven seconds, and then stares when he holds out the bottle of olive oil to her.

“I forgot you can do that,” she says. Pietro ducks his head, sheepish. Clint laughs.

“I can help with the cooking,” Pietro offers. “The cutting, I mean. Cooking is more of Wanda’s expertise.”

“But he makes a mean meggyleves,” Wanda calls out from where she is using her magic to put up the decorations from the couch. Lila and Cooper watch with twin looks of awe as the red of her aether lifts the paper dreidels and tapes them to the ceiling.

Clint brings Nathaniel over and sits by her. “What's that?”

Wanda glances at him before returning to the decorations, with a renewed concentration. “A dish my father used to make,” she whispers. “He said his father taught him, and he would teach Pietro, and we would keep teaching our sons.”

“What's in it?” Clint asks. Nathaniel coos, peaceful. Wanda smiles lopsidedly.

“Sour cherries, sour cream, cinnamon, sugar, salt. But I have never made it.”

“Do you think Pietro would?” Clint asks, leaning conspiratorially towards her. “If I bribe him?”

The last dreidel sticks to the ceiling and Wanda drops her hands into her lap. Cooper and Lila start clapping. She looks over, first at Clint, and then at baby Nathaniel, who stares back at her with wide eyes.

“He will probably make it for free,” she admits.

Clint resolves to have Pietro teach Cooper and Nathaniel to make this cherry dish if it kills him.

* * *

“Any updates on the arriving front?”

“I'll be there in two hours tops.” Clint waits, and Nat finally says, “Just, uh...don't start without me, alright?”

“Wouldn't dare,” Clint says. “Hope you brought presents, too.”

“You have no idea.”

* * *

Nat touches down just as the sky turns to dusk. She breezes into the house and hugs Laura first. Laura is holding Nathaniel, which makes the one-armed hug a little awkward, but whatever.

“Hey, Nat,” Laura says. “Glad you could make it.”

“I can't stay all eight nights,” she says apologetically. “As much as I would rather be here than there. Hey, baby Nathaniel! You're looking...male.”

Clint grins from behind Laura. “Don’t be bitter, Nat, you'll get wrinkles.”

“You’re looking cheery,” Nat observes. She hugs him, too. Nat’s hugs feel like coming home.

Clint’s smile broadens. It's unavoidable. “Well, got all the people I love, under one roof,” he says easily. “What's a guy to do?”

Nat kisses his cheek. “Light the candles, I think.”

“The twins are waiting by the windowsill,” Clint announces, and the three of them bustle into the living room.

“Auntie Nat!” Lila screeches, vaulting over the armrest to barrel into her aunt. Cooper more respectably elects to speedwalk, but Natasha crouches down and smothers them both with bear hugs.

“Natasha,” Pietro says, acknowledging her with an incline of the head. “You celebrate Hanukkah?”

Nat straightens up, presses her lips together. “It's been awhile,” she says finally. “Hey, Wanda. Long time no see.”

“Not long enough,” Wanda teases.

The warm gut feeling hits Clint hard and doesn't abandon him all night.

* * *

There are three Hanukkiot on the windowsill. One is crudely built from clay; one, sleek and blue and elegant; and the third is a classic, ornate thing, stretching its nine arms upwards expectantly.

“That one's yours,” Cooper announces, tugging on Pietro's hand and pointing at the classic Hanukkiah. “And Auntie Nat, the blue one is yours.”

“I made this one!” Lila adds eagerly, gesturing to the clay structure.

“Very pretty,” Pietro says to Lila. To Clint and Laura, he smiles. “It is very pretty. Thank you.”

Laura swats his shoulder. “I'm gonna impose a limit on the amount of times you get to thank me.”

Natasha sidles up behind Clint and tucks her chin over his shoulder. “This is...committed,” she says, with a lopsided grin.

“Well, the life of a secret agent,” Clint replies nonchalantly. “You gotta prepare for anything, right?”

“Good to know you remember your training.”

“I hope you remember the blessings, because I know I'll butcher the words.”

“I can say them,” Wanda interjects. When everyone looks at her, she blushes. “If you want. I know them.”

“Please,” Laura says, encouraging with a gesture. Nathaniel, silent in her arms, gives Wanda a wide-eyed gaze of approval.

She and Pietro look at each other. And then Wanda starts to chant.

Nat strikes a match and lights the shamashot during the first blessing. Aside, Clint wonders why he never knew what a great voice Wanda had. As she moves into the second blessing, Pietro reaches for the shamash on their Hanukkiah and lights the first and only candle. Clint does the same; Lila and Cooper both hold onto his wrist for the guise of participating in the effort. Natasha skillfully unsticks her shamash, lights the first candle, and melts the bottom to put it back in.

“This one we say only on the first night,” Wanda explains preliminarily. “It is a prayer for doing new things. We say it for any occasion in which we are starting something new or for the first time.”

She and Pietro begin the short blessing (Clint recognizes this one from his one-hour intensive study session on Judaism with Nat last week — it’s the  _ shehecheyanu _ ). As it tapers off, Lila giggles.

“Hope the candles don't burn the house down,” she says. Wanda laughs, and just like that, the world settles into place. And everyone settles down to eat.

* * *

“This meal was brought to you by everyone except daddy,” Laura declares as they all sit down. Cooper and Lila burst out laughing like this is the funniest thing in the entire world. Natasha snorts.

“Yeah, your dad is notoriously unhelpful,” she says. Wanda and Pietro chuckle. Clint pouts.

“I will have you know,” he says, “that I thought very hard about helping.”

Nat reaches over and pats his cheek. “I'm sure.”

“Really, though,” Laura says, “Wanda and Pietro helped make this delicious dinner, so kids, what do we say?”

“Thank you, WandaandPietro!” Cooper and Lila chorus.

“Thank you, Wanda and Pietro,” Clint obediently echoes.

The twins blush. Wanda’s hands fidget with the dull end of a fork. She says, “Thank you, Clint. And Laura. For hosting Pietro and me. We are very grateful.”

“Very,” Pietro agrees.

“Can we eat?” Lila whines, and Natasha laughs.

“Guests first, remember,” Clint says.

“Would you like some lat-keys?” Cooper politely offers.

The smile on Wanda’s face stretches from ear to ear. Clint would wonder whether or not it hurt if he wasn't wearing the exact same smile.

“I would love some, Cooper,” Wanda answers.

And dinner trundles on.

* * *

“I feel like Pietro and Wanda have a cheating advantage,” Clint says to the group.

“Can Wanda spin for me?” Cooper says slyly. 

Lila gives him a Laura Barton look. “That's cheating, dummy.”

“Hey,” Laura scolds, lightly. “No name-calling.”

“Everyone spin for themself. And I will spin for Nate.”

“Good idea, Lila,” Clint says.

“I do not feel like I have an advantage,” Pietro contributes. “I can spin it quickly, but it is still up to the winds of chance to make it land in my favor.”

“Basically, Wanda’s the only cheater,” Natasha says. Wanda sticks her tongue out and does not respond.

“Okay, everyone put one in,” Pietro says. “And then — Cooper, do you want to go first?”

“Yeah!” Cooper looks overjoyed at that prospect. He snatches up his dreidel, slides a piece of gelt into the center of the table, and spins. It wobbles shakily around once, twice, and on the third time lands on  _ hey _ .

“Which one’s that?” Cooper asks.

“It is  _ hey, _ ” Wanda says. “You take half. Good spin!”

And of the thousands of reasons why Clint adores the Maximoffs, here’s another: they are so sweet with the kids.

“Auntie Nat’s turn,” Cooper says at a decibel that could arguably be classified as yelling. Laura lays a hand on his arm, as if that will subdue him. They both know it’s hopeless; Cooper has already eaten a full pouch of chocolate coins and he’s drunk on the novelty of the Maximoff twins being here. 

Natasha's dreidel falls with a  _ shin _ face-up. She grimaces. Clint wonders if she's bluffing. It's hard to bluff at dreidel, from what he's gathered, but if anyone could manage, it would be Natasha.

Or maybe she's just expressing a real emotion. It's rare, but it happens.

"Better luck next time," Lila teases as Natasha tosses a piece of gelt into the pile. Nat points accusingly at Lila.

"Watch it, missy, or someone's waking up in the bathtub tonight."

Lila giggles. "You always say that and then you never do it!"

It's true; this is not an unusual threat. Nat has been using the waking-up-in-the-bathtub line since...jeez, since forever. Clint doesn't remember when Nat joined the Barton family. She's just always been here, a presence Clint can't imagine existing without, like lungs, or pizza. 

Regardless, this time Natasha wiggles her eyebrows. "Fine. Don't believe me."

"Fine," Lila says, ever the contrarian. "I won't."

"Good."

"Your turn, Wanda," Nat says. "And we're watching you."

Wanda seems not to care. She spins her dreidel and it wobbles around before collapsing on  _ gimel. _

"Cheating!" Cooper shouts.

"Cooper, shh," Laura says. "Inside voices."

"She had a one-in-four chance of getting a gimel," Clint says. He's pretty sure Wanda is cheating, but then again, Clint cheats so often he has Frequent Liar Miles, so he's hardly in a position to judge.

"I won fair and square," Wanda protests. "I had a 25% chance!"

"And a 75% chance of getting something else," Cooper says suspiciously. At least he's using his inside voice.

"Pietro, final vote. Cheating or luck?" Nat challenges.

Pietro squints. "Seems lucky to me. I did not see any magic."

Clint is tempted to point out that the whole point of magic is you don't see it happen, but whatever. Wanda smiles and pats Pietro on the cheek.

"You would make a good accomplice if you were less honest," she says sweetly. In one sweeping gesture she claims the entire center pot. "Everyone put in two."

"Two?" Cooper whines.

"We just put in one!" Lila complains.

"You add one each time," Pietro says. "This way the game eventually ends."

"Boring," Clint says, tossing two pieces of gelt into the middle of the table. "I like to play games Avengers-style: play until someone falls asleep, then steal all their properties."

"This isn't Monopoly," Laura says dryly.

Natasha squints at him. "Has that ever happened?"

"Just once," Clint tells her. "But man, the look on Bruce's face when he realized I'd taken all his money — priceless."

"You're a morally corrupt person," Nat decides.

"Takes one to know one."

"I know this is friendly banter, but maybe let's perpetuate kindness in front of impressionable minds?" Laura says pointedly, directly to Clint.

Clint grins, self-aware. "It's all in good fun," he reassures Lila.

"No, it's okay." Lila leans in conspiratorially and whispers, "Cooper cheats."

"I do not!" Cooper argues.

"Totally do! I saw you do it."

"You can't see me do it if I didn't do it!"

"Oh yeah? Then —"

"Kids," Laura warns. "Come on. Pietro, it's your turn."

Pietro smiles good-naturedly and spins the dreidel, which falls on  _ nun _ , the symbol that means you do nothing. He shrugs. "Your turn, Clint."

Clint waits for an old-person joke, but nothing comes. Maybe he's a little paranoid.

He spins his dreidel. "Come on, Lucky," he cheers.

"You named your dreidel?" Wanda says. She arches her eyebrow — an uncanny imitation of Natasha. Clint almost does a double-take.

"He names everything Lucky," Lila explains. "Daddy says if we get a dog we're calling it Lucky."

"It's a perfect name!" Clint defends. "First of all, self-fulfilling prophecy. Second, gender-neutral. Third, it just sounds  _ good! _ Oh, heck yeah! What's this one?  _ Hey _ ?"

"Take half," Laura prompts.

"Come to Papa," Clint singsongs as he counts out half the pot.

"Daddy's weird," Lila tells Wanda.

"I know," Wanda replies.

"Conspiracy? In  _ my  _ farmhouse?" Clint says.

Natasha shakes her head.

"Don't want conspiracy, don't have three kids," Laura says, saccharine.

Clint reaches out and ruffles Lila's hair with his hand. "Eh. I guess I can take it."

Pietro coughs something that sounds like "Sap." Clint glares at him, and he smiles innocently.

"We might run out of space in the bathtub, Nat," he says, staring threateningly at Pietro. Pietro grins.

* * *

They gather in the living room. The firelight from the hanukkiot reflects off the window, blazing with a flickering intensity. Clint gives them a passing glance as everyone settles down.

"In honor of Auntie Nat leaving early," Clint says, and Cooper and Lila adopt matching pouts and crossed arms, "we're doing presents tonight."

"Me first!" Lila says eagerly.

Laura scratches Lila's scalp affectionately. "I think we should let one of our guests go first," she says. "Don't you think?"

Lila sighs. "'Kay. Pietro, you go first."

Pietro looks surprised at this offer. "Okay," he says. "If you like."

Clint passes a wrapped box to him. Pietro makes as if to shake it, and Clint reaches out to stop him. "Maybe don't," he says. "It's not really the kind of thing you shake. Er, well. I guess. And here," he adds, "these go with that." He gives Pietro another wrapped package, also box-shaped.

Pietro looks confused, but he tears the wrapping off quick as a flash. He examines the box.

"Fujifilm Instax mini 9," he reads. The picture on the box must finally register, and he looks up. "A camera?"

"Woah!" Cooper says.

"That's so cool!" Lila enthuses. "I want one!"

"It's called a Polaroid," Laura says, smiling in her gentle way. Nathaniel is asleep in her arms. "It takes pictures and instantly develops them. Good for sleepovers and what-have-you."

Clint shrugs as Pietro unwraps the other package to reveal four boxes of film. "I thought you'd like something to document," he gestures vaguely. He's not sure what exactly that's supposed to mean. His experience? The world around him? But Pietro looks awed as he pops open the camera box and pulls out the Polaroid.

"This is film," Clint adds. "You put it in the camera and then it takes the picture." Unable to resist, he says, "How does it feel to have technology explained to you by an old guy, huh?"

Pietro gives him a wry look. "Very funny. I hope you don't sleep unattractively." And he lifts the camera's viewfinder to his eyes as if threatening to photograph Clint in his sleep.

"You're a menace," Clint says. "Happy Hanukkah."

Pietro smiles. He blushes. "Thank you," he says. "This is very kind."

"My turn," Natasha says, tossing a gift to Pietro. Pietro, being Pietro, catches it easily.

"You got me a gift?" He says. His face betrays total shock. "I…I did not get you anything."

"Hey, it's cool," Nat says. "Just don't kill me in training and we'll be even."

Clint thinks it's funny how that statement settles upon the group. The truth is, even without superpowers, Natasha could kick Pietro's ass in seconds flat. You can't run fast with broken limbs. And Clint is sure Pietro either knows that or is on his way to learning it, and it's hardly a return gift for whatever Nat got him.

But Natasha doesn't like being put on the spot. She likes presents, but not opening them in front of people like some weird exhibition. So this isn't a mercy for Pietro; it's a mercy for Nat.

Pietro tears off the wrapping. It parts to show the cover of a book."

" _ The Maze Runner _ ," Pietro reads. He looks up, laughter in his eyes. Wanda snorts. "Is this your idea of a joke?"

"Yes and no," Nat says seriously. "It's a great book series and I think you'll like it."

Pietro flips through the pages. "It looks...complex."

"Best way to learn is immersion," Nat points out.

Pietro smiles at her. "Thank you."

"Anytime," she answers. "Here, Wanda. Yours."

"Pietro," Cooper stage-whispers. "Can I look at your camera?"

Pietro hands it off. Clint wonders if he's not aware of how much damage a Cooper-aged boy could do to a precious thing like that, or if Pietro's just that nice.

Wanda opens the gift from Natasha. It's similar in dimensions to Pietro's, and when she unwraps it the reason becomes clear. They're both books.

" _ The Book Thief, _ " Wanda says. She beams. "I — I have been looking for books to read. Thank you, Natasha."

Nat waves her off. "Of course. That's — one of my favorite books." This is a fact Clint is aware of, of course, but Wanda isn't, and she looks startled to receive a sliver of personal information about Nat.

"I will read it happily," Wanda reassures her.

"You better. It's fantastic."

Wanda chuckles. "We have a gift for you, too," she says. "And you, Clint."

Pietro retrieves a stack floppy, wrapped packages — Clint can only assume they're clothing. He throws one to Clint, one to Laura, and gives one each to Cooper and Lila, who give twin squeals of excitement.

"We had to guess a bit at sizes," Wanda says. "I hope they fit."

Cooper tears mercilessly into the present. Everyone is right behind him. Simultaneously, they all hold up the shirts.

Clint and Laura start laughing. When Nat glimpses it, she laughs too.

"Awesome," Clint says, and he's 100% serious. The purple Hawkeye t-shirts  _ are  _ awesome. A glance tells him that everyone in his family has received an identical shirt. 

"I heart Hawkeye," Cooper sounds out, reading the words printed on the shirt.

"Yeah, you do," Clint says. He reaches out and pats Cooper on the shoulder.

"Which one is Hawkeye?" Laura asks. "The big green one?"

"Oh, hilarious. So funny. Don't quit your day job," Clint says, poking Laura in the cheek like the mature gentleman that he is.

Pietro hands Laura one more small package. "For Nathaniel," he explains. She smiles broadly.

Cooper and Lila wriggle into their new t-shirts. "I heart Hawkeye!" Lila yells, jumping out of her seat on the couch.

"Lila, you'll wake Nate," Laura says in a hushed voice.

Lila leaps over all the wrapping paper and bodyslams Clint in a very enthusiastic hug. Clint's heart melts.

"What do we say when we get nice presents, guys?"

"Thank you!" Lila and Cooper chorus. Lila turns around and provides the twins with the same body-checking hug experience. They look pleasantly surprised.

"Thank you," Laura agrees.

"Thanks," Clint says. He tugs the t-shirt on. "Oh, yeah. That's the stuff."

They continue cycling through everyone's gifts. Among the distributed presents are:

> Avengers figurines of Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver.

(Wanda looks astonished. "How…"

"I have my connections," Clint says mysteriously.

Pietro emits a giggle worthy of Lila when he sees his.)

> Small Swiss army knives for the twins.

("Because an army knife can save your life," Clint says solemnly.

"And it has, in Clint's case," Natasha adds.)

> A leather jacket for Wanda.

(She shrugs it on and it looks very badass on her.

"That looks very cool," Laura says.

Wanda blushes. "Thank you.")

> An envelope for each of them with a slip of paper inside bearing the words "print ticket here."

(“Wherever you want to go,” Clint explains. “I thought I would let you choose. A ball game, the ballet, a Broadway show, freaking…Budapest… other things that don't start with B, you get it."

At the mention of Budapest, Natasha snorts.

Wanda and Pietro look like they've both been hit by tractors, but in a good way.

"You can think on it," Clint adds.)

> A rainbow-print bowtie for Cooper, from Natasha.

(He puts it on immediately after hugging her. Paired with the Hawkeye t-shirt, he looks like a tiny bachelor after a crazy party.)

> A Mad Libs for Lila, also from Nat.

(Lila wants to try one right then and there. "After presents," Clint says. He can already see her eyes drooping. He doubts she'll be awake when all is said and done.)

> For Laura, a book of crossword puzzles and a box containing a mug.

("When you put something hot inside, constellations appear," Nat tells her.

Laura smiles. "Oh, I can't wait. Thank you, Nat, this is great.")

> A plastic bow and set of arrows from Clint and Laura to Lila, and a Nerf gun for Cooper.

(Lila's eyes grow wide when she sees the bow. "Are you gonna finally teach me to shoot, daddy?" she begs.

"Well, you can't learn on your own," Clint says. Lila screeches and attacks him with another hug. Cooper loads the Nerf gun and lines up a shot.

"Not in the house," Laura warns, putting a hand on the gun. "And definitely not around fire."

Thank God for Laura.)

When everyone's presents have been claimed, Cooper yawns and points at Pietro's Polaroid, with which Pietro has been fussing for several minutes, setting it up. "Let's take a picture," he suggests sleepily.

Pietro's face lights up. "Yes. I will take it. Everyone sit on the couch."

"Nope," Laura says, before Clint can raise the same protest. "Not a chance. Wanda can take it. With the magic. Everyone's getting in this picture. You're all in this family."

Clint loves her so, so much.

Wanda blushes. Pietro does too.

"You don't have to —"

"Speedy, sit," Clint orders.

"Speedy, sit," Cooper echoes.

Pietro laughs. "Okay. If you're sure."

He and Wanda squish onto the couch. Lila burrows herself onto Clint's lap. He can tell she is seconds from dozing off, but she smiles bravely up at him. He smiles back and kisses her nose.

"Ech," she says, wrinkling up her face. She wipes the tip of her nose dramatically.

"Rude," Clint says, poking her ribcage. She giggles.

Cooper clambers onto Natasha's lap. She bounces him on her knee, almost unconsciously. Laura rocks Nathaniel soothingly.

"Ready?" Wanda asks.

"Ready," Laura says.

The red tendrils of Wanda's aether stretch out to the Polaroid, but Wanda manages to maintain a picture-perfect smile. The camera hovers in the air. Then the red curls around the top and presses the camera button. The room flashes with white light, and then there's a sound of whirring.

Wanda pulls the Polaroid to her and gives it to Pietro as the picture is developing. He tugs out the image and stares at it.

"It didn't work," he says.

Clint peers over. "Oh, no, that's supposed to happen. It's still developing. You have to shake it."

Pietro, looking befuddled, begins shaking the Polaroid at an immeasurable pace.

"Maybe slower," Clint says.

"I'll do it," Wanda says. She reaches for the picture.

"Well, this was lovely," Laura says. She hoists Nate up and stands up from the couch. "But there are a few kids in this room whose bedtime has passed."

"I'll put them to bed," Clint says. "Come on, Coop. Lila."

Neither of them argue, which is a testament to how tired they are. They both drag their feet up the stairs and into their room.

"Pajamas," Clint reminds them. "And brush your teeth."

He puts away the Hawkeye t-shirt in his dresser drawer while the kids prep for bed, and then he hears Cooper calling, "Daddy, we're ready."

He pushes open their door and pads into the room. Cooper's Hawkeye shirt is discarded on the floor. Clint picks it up, folds it, and puts it on his dresser. The bowtie is already there. He smiles.

"Daddy," Cooper whines.

"Okay, okay," he says. He approaches Cooper's bed. Cooper has buried himself under the comforter, and his eyes are practically closing. 

"Goodnight," Clint says. "Did you have fun?"

Cooper nods, yawning. "We should do Hanukkah every year."

Clint smiles. "Yeah. Maybe."

"I like WandaandPietro," Cooper murmurs.

Clint kisses his forehead. "I'll tell them you say so. Goodnight, sweetheart."

Cooper nestles further into his pillows. "'Night, daddy. Love you more than pizza."

It's a long-standing tradition. "Love you more than pizza," Clint agrees.

He walks away and heads towards Lila's bed.

"Goodnight," he says.

Lila shifts so she's looking up at him. "You're really gonna teach me archery?"

"Unless you know a better archer," he says.

Laura was against it at first. But Clint made his case, and eventually she came around. The fact is, Lila would be a good student. She's sharp, she's focused, she's a fast learner, and she's absolutely adorable. (Okay, that last one may not be relevant, but it's  _ true. _ ) And it's not like they can enroll her in some local archery club.

Plus, Lila's been imploring him to teach her for years.

She grins at him. "I do not."

"Then I'm your best bet."

"I'm excited," Lila says. "Can we start tomorrow?"

"Maybe. First you need to go to sleep, honey."

"Okay." Lila closes her eyes. "I'm sleeping."

Clint chuckles. "Goodnight, Lila."

"G'night, daddy. Tell Mommy to come say goodnight."

"I will."

"Love you."

"Love you too."

He slips out of the room and meets Laura on the landing.

"I just put Nate down," she whispers.

Clint jerks a thumb over his shoulder at the kids' door. "They want you to say goodnight."

Laura kisses him. "You know, you really made those kids happy. Wanda and Pietro. I'm proud of you. What you did was good."

"It was mostly you," Clint says humbly.

"I'm complimenting you," Laura says.

"Thank you," Clint amends.

"I'll meet you downstairs. You wanna watch something?"

Clint nods. "I'll channel-surf. Love you."

"Love you." She slides past him and heads into Lila and Cooper's room.

Clint goes to the living room, collapses on the couch, and turns on the TV.

"What are we watching?" Natasha sits next to him and offers him an Oreo. He takes it and stuff it in his mouth whole. Then, forcibly muted, he makes an "I don't know" sound. He hands her the remote, like,  _ you pick. _

Natasha clicks through the channels. "Thank you, Clint. This was fun. I'm sorry I have to leave tomorrow."

Clint swallows the cookie. "All good. I know you'd stay if you could. But I was happy to do it, Nat, really. We both — we all were."

Natasha pats his thigh and says nothing further. Nothing else really needs saying.

They sit in silence for a few moments, Nat flicking through the channels as if she’s not even reading the titles. Then she says, “I’m putting Lila in the bathtub tonight.”

Clint laughs. “Finally. She’s been dying to know when you’d finally keep that promise.”

“Girls need to learn,” Nat says, shrugging.

“Should I put Pietro in the bathtub too?”

Natasha snorts. “I would love to see you try.”

"Hello," Pietro greets as he enters, trailed by Wanda.

“Speak of the devil,” Clint says.

"Ooh,  _ Friends _ !" Wanda says as Nat passes it.

"We're looking for a movie," Clint says. Wanda pushes herself into the space between Clint and the armrest. Pietro perches himself on the other armrest, next to Nat. Nat yanks once on his shirt and he tumbles over onto the couch.

"There's enough room," she says.

Pietro huffs.

"What movie?" Wanda asks.

"Ideally one that's playing."

"Shocking," Pietro says. 

" _ Armageddon _ ?" Clint reads. "Nah."

"Here we go," Nat says. She clicks on a channel and tosses the remote on the coffee table, then leans backwards into the cushions, her head resting comfortably on Clint's shoulder.

The movie is  _ National Treasure _ . It's about fifteen minutes in already, but Clint's seen it before.

"I know this movie," Wanda says. "I think."

Pietro adjusts his position on the couch and leans against the armrest. Wanda leans her head on Clint's shoulder as well.

In minutes flat, both women are asleep.

Clint glances down, realizes this, and smiles.

"Clint," Pietro says, briefly sparing him a look. "Thank you."

"What did Laura say about no more thanking us?"

"I am serious." The room is quiet except for the movie, droning into the peaceful living room. Clint feels Natasha’s breath against his shoulder, and Wanda’s chest rising and falling in sync. He wonders if it’s possible to feel this much love for this many people. "We appreciate this. You gave us a chance to do this again. Correctly. To remember it as something good. And Wanda…" Pietro looks at his sister with something sincere and unspoken in his eyes. "You make her feel safe. That is something I can never repay you for."

Clint feels his heart slowly dissolve into putty.

"I'm a dad," he says. "It's my job to protect the kids."

"You are a good man," Pietro says.

Clint raises his eyebrows. "And?"

Pietro looks away.

"Come on, I know you're thinking it."

"And an old man," Pietro mutters, smirking.

"Uh-huh. If I weren't trapped I would hit you, for the record." Clint's expression softens. "But Pietro, you're a good man too. It takes one to know one. I'm happy you're here. Really. We're all happy you're here."

Pietro nods. Then, apparently satisfied, he leans on his arm against the armrest and his eyes droop closed.

Laura walks in to see Clint on the couch, three sleeping superheroes by his side, and  _ National Treasure _ playing on the TV.

“Hey,” Clint whispers. “Put Lila in the bathtub. I would, but...you know.” He jerks his head in the vague direction of Natasha, or possibly Wanda.

Laura smiles, retrieves Pietro's Polaroid, and takes a picture.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you thank you thank you for reading this! if you liked it, drop a comment, those always make me smile. and if you didn't like it, leave a comment anyway, it's cool. regardless, i'm on tumblr @[vivilevone](http://vivilevone.tumblr.com). you are more than welcome to come pester me about whatever. see ya!


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